Cassell Played Friday With a Heavy Heart

Point guard Sam Cassell played well in Friday’s 97-91 victory over the Lakers, and his performance was especially impressive under the circumstances.

The 12-year veteran had left the team Wednesday to attend the funeral of his paternal grandmother, Dorothy Hopson, Thursday in Baltimore.

Cassell, who returned to Los Angeles about three hours before tipoff at Staples Center, helped the Clippers defeat their in-house rival by scoring 17 points with seven rebounds, five assists and no turnovers in 40 minutes.

“It’s been rough for me,” he said Saturday after practice at the Spectrum health club in El Segundo. “Anyone who loses their grandmother ... it’s definitely impacted my life, my father and my mother. She was a strong woman.”

Hopson, who was 84, had a three-year battle with breast cancer, Cassell said.

“My father told me that all the times he went to visit her in the hospital, she never said one thing,” Cassell said. “She never complained about the pain, but in the last couple of days, she started to complain about the pain.

”... That was really rough for me because my father and his mother were real, real tight.”

Cassell had considered remaining in Baltimore longer to support his family, but they encouraged him to return to work.

“My family was so supportive, they told me to go play my game,” he said. “My father said, ‘You paid your respect, now you have a job to do, so go do what you do.’ He told me to win the game.”

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The Clippers today play host to Golden State, Coach Mike Dunleavy’s least favorite opponent.

Although Dunleavy is 6-2 against the Warriors in his Clipper tenure, he said the matchup is difficult for him because fourth-year forward Mike Dunleavy Jr. plays for Golden State.

“I hate it,” Dunleavy said. “It’s really hard. It’s against all human nature. ... All I can do is make the correct game plan for him and everybody else. ... He’s not being shown any favoritism, that’s for sure.”

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Guard Quinton Ross, who sat out Friday’s game because of back spasms, might play today, Dunleavy said.

TODAY

vs. Golden State, 12:30 p.m.

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- 1150.

Records -- Clippers 7-2, Warriors 6-4.

Record vs. Warriors (2004-05) -- 4-0.

Update -- The Warriors trail the first-place Clippers by 1 1/2 games in the Pacific Division. Golden State has won two of three, including Friday’s 91-80 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden. Guard Jason Richardson averages a team-high 22.4 points. Point guard Baron Davis is averaging 15.6 points and 8.3 assists.